The American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) awarded Carole’ Mensing one of its most coveted honors, the Allene Von Son Distinguished Service Award, during its annual meeting on August 3.

Mensing, who now works as the Manager for Clinical and Education Programs for the Strategic Initiatives Division at Joslin Diabetes Center, has been a stalwart defender of comprehensive education that promotes self-management for people with diabetes.

At Joslin Boston, Mensing serves as a clinical consultant for the Joslin Affiliates, a contributor to educational programs and materials development and as a clinical diabetes educator.

Beginning her career as a staff nurse at St. Barnabas Hospital, Mensing was attracted to the field of diabetes when education became recognized as a vital part of diabetes treatment. She feels that “education is the most important part of any practice,” she said, and has spent her career educating both patients, families and other diabetes educators about the secrets of staying healthy and not allowing diabetes to take over.

Mensing has worked in the field of diabetes as everything from a direct-care patient educator to supervisor of an endocrinology clinic and health professional coordinator of diabetes educator centers. She has practiced her craft in the blustery cold of Minnesota’s Health Partners and International Diabetes Center at Park Nicollet as well as Connecticut’s bustling capitol, where she took the position of clinical care coordinator at Connecticut’s Children’s Medical Center and Coordinator of the University of Connecticut’s Diabetes Education Program.

She has tirelessly volunteered her time, serving on committees of both the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) to improve the lives of people with diabetes. As a past member of the AADE board of directors and current chair of the Massachusetts Coordinating Body, Mensing guides the focus of the organization to represent the needs of both people with diabetes and diabetes educators.

In addition to her committee work, Mensing is a reviewer for The Diabetes Educator and Diabetes Care as well as serving as editor for the seminal training reference, The Art and Science of Diabetes Self-Management Education (first and second editions).

Through a career spanning over 40 years, Mensing has never become bored or frustrated with diabetes education. “The piece that drives me is those ‘aha!’ moments that you share with your patient. I think the secret to my personal success is that I have always spent the extra time learning about my patients and their goals first. I’ll learn as much from my patients as they learn from me, so that both our lives can be changed and enhanced,” she said.

The American Association of Diabetes Educators is the trade organization for diabetes educators advocating the benefits of diabetes education. They represent the needs and rights of diabetes educators and the patients they work with. Founded in 1973, the organization now lists more than 13,000 members.